Vent or chimney construction



March 24, 1942. E, o, HOWLE 2,277,436

VENT OR CHIMNEY CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 28. 1941 af www Patented Mar. 24, 1942 UNITED STATESv PATENT OFFICE VENT OR CHIMNEY CONSTRUCTION Ernest 0. Howle, Chicago, Ill.

Application February 28, 1941, Serial No. 381,170

` 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to a composite vent or chimney construction and has to do with one which can be manufactured to sell at low cost for installation in low-priced housing projects and which at the'same time satisesbuilding and other requirements relating to fire hazards.

Generally speaking, the vent or chimney of the present invention is made with an inner pipe or flue of sections of vitried enameled iron, and

-.an outer pipe or casing of sections of heat insulating material. The vent is insulated and constructed soV as to possess all the advantages of chimneys constructed of brick or tile or other constructions which do not constitute re hazards.

An object of the present invention is to provide a sectional chimney having a metallic liue so cog-H structed and set up as to be reproof and which insulates the ue from closely adjacent portions of buildings to prevent re, regardless of the temperatures to which the flue may become heated.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a composite sectional vent or chimney which is simple to manufacture and install and which, at the same time, is durable and eicient in operation and which is so constructed as to meet the severe requirements necessary for venting or carrying away the products of combustion of gas, oil or coal re heaters or appliances.

Another and further object of the present invention is to provide a composite vent or chimney with the inner pipe sections having male and female ends so connected that condensate may fall to the bottom of the chimney and is prevented from leaking out through the joints between adjacent sections.

The invention has for a further object the provision of a novel cap section for composite vent or chimney construction, especially designed for venting gas-lired appliances.

The above, other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and accompanying drawing.

The accompanying drawing illustrates a vent or chimney construction embodying the principles of the present invention and the views are oiered as follows:

Fig. 1 is a fragmental vertical sectional View through a building of conventional construction showing a basement, rst oor and attic, and .showing in elevation a vent or chimney of the present invention.

, Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical central section through that portion of the vent or chimney through and above the roof.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmental central sectional view through the lower part of the illustrated vent or chimney.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken in the plane indicated by line IV-IV of Fig. 1.

The drawing will now be explained.

Referring to Fig. l, the basement floor is indicated at A, rst iloor at B, attic floor at C, and the roof at D.

A heater, not shown, fired by gas, oil or coal, is installed in the basement, as is common practice.

A pedestal I rests on a base 2 on the floor A of the basement, and at its upper end supports a plate 3. The plate 3 has a central opening l communicating with a hole 5 through it, from which a pipe 6 leads to a drain .I to carry awa any condensate forming within the vent. f

The vent or chimney is supported on the plate 3.

As illustrated, the rst or lowermost section of the inner pipe or flue 8 rests with one end on the plate 3. Its upper end is formed with a female connection 9. Leading laterally from the pipe, is a takeoi I0 which is connected in well known manner to the outlet from the heater.

A number of sections I I are assembled in endwise relation as described. Fig. 3 illustrates a portion of the section next above section 8 and is assembled by inserting Aits lower or male end in the female end 9 of the lowermost section. The lower extremity of the section 8 rests on the shoulder I2 formed between the female end and the body of the section. In assembling a vent of the present invention, two or three sections are fitted together in the manner stated, that is, with the male ends down and the female ends up. These sections are provided with ylugs I3 and Il, through which are passed bolts I5 which are fastened by nuts in the usual manner. This secures together the set-up sections of the inner INDE- After, two-sections of the inner pipe have been connected as described. the insulating sections comprising the outer pipe or ue casing are installed.

The lowermost section 8 of the pipe is surrounded by an insulating section IB which, because of the presence of the takeoif I0, is usually made in two parts with the parts banded together in a manner well understood;

The next above insulating section I I is lowered Iover the assembled sections of the inner pipe meeting the upper edge or margin of the lowermost outer section I5. The joint between is cemented, thus maintaining the alignment of the insulating sections and preventing escape of air from between the inner pipe and the outer pipe.

The inner diameters of the insulating or outer sections are greater than the exterior diameters of the inner or iiue sections and provide an annular air space Il between the inner pipe and the outer pipe.

In order to maintain alignment of the insulating sections as assembled, the inner sections are provided with a plurality of outstanding lugs I9, three of which are shown in Fig. 4, which are welded or otherwise secured to the exterior of the female ends of the inner sections. It has been found that three such lugs are sufficient to maintain the air space Il substantially uniform.

The chimney is built up in the manner stated, providing an inner or flue portion or pipe, and an outer covering or casing of insulating material.

The sections constituting the inner pipe are made of vitried enameled iron which has been found to be acid resistant.

The outer or insulating pipe extends throughout the height of the vent through the building and terminates at its upper end adjacent the roof.

Referring to Fig. 2, it will be noted that the upper end of the vent, which for a major portion of its length is above the roof, is of metal construction.

Flashing 2l is provided with a central aperture to conform to the hole 2| through the roof or the chimney. The flashing margin adjacent the central opening therein is welded to a neck 22 of vitritled enameled iron. This neck extends upwardly from the flashing a sutiicient distance to receive other sections, the number of which .depends on the height of the chimney which, of

course, varies with diiferent constructions.

The sections comprising the inner pipe are exf tended upwardly through the roof, which may be observed in Fig. 2. 'I'he section 23 is joined at its lower end, which is below the roof, while its upper end extends above the roof. Another section 24 is engaged with the female upper end of the section 23 in the manner heretofore stated to complete the inner or flue portion of the vent.

Between the inner pipe of the vent and the neck 22, a plug 25 of insulating material is inserted. This occupies all of the space between the inner and outer pipes throughout the length of the plug and is to prevent any moisture, which perchance accumulates within the space between the pipes above the roof, leaking down onto the insulating sections below it or into the space between the inner and outer pipes. The joint between the lower end of the ller 25 and the topmost section 26 of the insulating casing is cemented, thus sealing the joint against air escape. v

It will be noted that the upper end of the inner pipe section 24 is provided with a female end 21.

The cap structure is formed of iron which is enameled and vitx'lfled and comprises an inner pipe or shell 23 andan outer pipe or shell 25, which pipes are concentric and which, at or near their upper ends, are welded or otherwise secured to a filler ring 3l, thus connecting the pipes together adjacent their upper ends and making a unitary structure. The lower end of the pipe 28 fits within the female end 21 of the section 24, but stops short f the shoulder 3| in said section.

Cil

This makes a telescopic joint to allow relative endwise movement taking place between the pipe 28 and the sections constituting the inner pipe of the vent. which movement occurs with temperature variations.

'I'he lower extremity of the outer pipe 29, designated as 32, is formed as a female end or skirt and receives the upper end of an outer section 33 which is mounted on the neck 22. The lower end of the section 33 has a female end portion 34 to receive and cover the upper end of the neck 22. By this construction, there is provided an inner or iiue pipe with the joints so arranged that condensate, formed within the ue pipe, will drip down the ue and escape to the drain l through the pipe 5 without at any time leaking through any of the joints between the several sections constituting the inner pipe.

The formation of the skirt 32 provides an internal shoulder 32* in the outer pipe 29, between its ends. This shoulder rests on the top of the casing 33 to support the cap or upper section in place. The diameter of the skirt 32, it will be observed, is greater than the diameter of the balance of the outer pipe 29. Thus that portion of the outer pipe below the shoulder surrounds and overlaps the outer surface of the casing to thereby seal the joint against moisture seepage from the exterior of the cap section to the interior of the casing.

The entrance or projection of the inner pipe 23 into the upper end of the flue section 24 results in the flue section overlapping the lower end of the inner pipe 28, thus sealing the joint therebetween against moisture seepage from the interior of the pipe 28 to the outside of the flue pipe 24, thereby preventing seepage of acidulous condensate from within the pipe 28 to the exterior of the flue. Such condensate in gas-fired appliances is sulphuric acid, which, if it escaped, wouli damage the casing and the walls surroundingi Also, any rain, snow or other moisture gathering on the exterior of the outer portion of the vent, above the roof, will travel down this outer portion without leaking through any of the joints in the several sections constituting it.

The fact that the neck 22 is welded to the ashing 20, prevents any leakage through the roof.

The space between the inner pipe and the outer pipe above the roof is a dead air space which serves as a heat insulator, preventing dissipation of radiant heat from the inner pipe to' A the atmosphere, so that the inner pipe remains warm which aids in maintaining draft through the vent and prevents formation of ice on the upper end of the vent.

Convection heat is caused by admission of air to the space between the inner pipe and outer pipe through openings 35 made in the outer pipe orinsulating covering near the floors, such as the first floor B and the attic floor C. Similar openings are made in the outer pipe or insulating casing near the ceilings as shown at 36, so that air circulated between the inner pipe and the outer pipe becomes heated by radiation from the inner pipe, and as convection heat passes out through the openings 36 into the spaces to be heated, the air, as it cools, falls and is again circulated through the inlets 35 upwardly along the inner pipe and outwardly through the exits 36.

'I'he ller 25, interposed between the inner and outer pipes through the roof, prevents the escape of any of the heated air from between the inner pipe and the outer pipe above the joint between the ller 25 and the uppermost section 26 of the outer pipe, so that all of the convection currents present between the inner pipe and outer pipe are utilized for heating purposes.

It has been found that when the attic is heated, heat losses through the attic floor are reduced materially, if not eliminated entirely. Thisfact increases the heating efiiciency of the heating plant and circulating system and obviously reduces the cost of heating.

As before stated, the sections comprising the inner pipe and those sections employed for the portion of the vent above the roof are made of vitriiied enameled iron. The various sections are made of iron, and when lugs, such as lugs I9 and I3, have to be attached, these are then welded in place and the completed section enameled and then vitrified.

The vent construction of the present invention lends itself readily to low cost housing projects where, for example, a bungalow or cottage has the heating unit in one of the rooms. In such event, the room containing the heating unit receives its heat from the unit, and any spaces above that room to be heated are heated by convection currents from the outlets 3G in the vent structure.

Exhaustive tests have proved that an outer insulating casing of the character herein employed meets the requirements of building codes and insurance companies as to re hazards, as its insulating qualities are such as to maintain a low temperature on the exterior of the insulating Pipe, regardless of the highest temperature to which the inner pipe would be subjected in the normal use of heating plants. In fact, tests made with abnormal temperatures have proved that, under such conditions, the heat insulation of the outer pipe is such as to maintain a temperature on its exterior surface in the neighborhood of 125 degrees F., which is well within the range of good building practice.

'I'he formation of the sections of the inner pipe, of vitrified enameled iron, makes possible their manufacture in quantity lots at reasonable prices. The insulating sections are made preferably longer than the iron sections so as to break joints between the inner and outer pipes. I'he cementing of the joints of the outer pipe contines air circulation to the annular space between the inner pipe and the outer pipe and prevents any air circulation from within one insulating section to the next, as of course course the cement seals th ends of the insulating sections.

The lower end of the vent or chimney, instead of being supported by the pedestal I and the plate 3 as described, might be supported on bars suitably iixed in the adjacent frame structure of the building. When this form or support is utilized, it is unnecessary then to employ the inlets 35 for air admission to the space between the pipes, as enough air would enter this space from the lower end of the vent.

The provision of the air space between the inner and outer pipes provides insulation against conduction of radiated heat from the inner pipe or flue to the insulating section or outer pipe, thus aiding and maintaining the temperature of the outer pipe at a minimum.

While no adjacent building structure has been shown. it is to be understood that the vent or chimney ot the present inventionl could very readily be built within a wall with perfect safety from fire. Y.

Where the vent is installed in a bungalow or cottage with the heater on the first floor and the vent is installed in a wall, the takeoi I0 would be insulated where the takeo passes through the wall, the insulation stopping flush with lthe exterior surface of the wall.

It is to be remembered that the sections constituting the inner pipe are bolted together, while the sections constituting the outer pipe are cemented together, thus providing a structure which is suficiently rigid for all practical purposes.

The sections extending above the roof are bolted together by bolts 31 passing through lugs 38 and 39, so that the resulting structure is rigid against destruction by wind.

The invention has been described herein more or less concisely as to details. It is to be understood that the invention isl not to be limited thereby, as changes may be made in the arrangement and proportion of parts and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A cap section for the upper end of a vent or chimney which latter comprises a iiue and an enveloping casing, a unit structure having inner and outer shells permanently connected together only adjacent the upper end of the outer shell and otherwise laterally spaced from each other, said outer shell having an internal shoulder between its ends to rest on the upper end of the casing for supporting the cap section in place on the chimney, the inner shell being entered within the ue, the connection of said shells constituting the sole support of the inner shell when the section is in place on a chimney and the support of the section in the manner stated maintaining the inner shell in pendant relation with respect to the ue whereby relative longitudinal movement between the iiue and the inner shell may occur incidental to temperature diierences in the ue and shell.

2. An upper end section for a chimney used for venting gases of combustion, said section comprising two concentrically arranged pipes permanently connected together as a unit by a band adjacent the top of the outer pipe and otherwise radially spaced from each other, the lower end of the outer pipe being oi greater diameter than the balance of the pipe to form an internal shoulder between the ends of the outer pipe to rest on the top of the chimney and to provide a skirt below the shoulder to overlap the outer surface of the chimney below its top, construction being such that said section may be applied to and removed from the chimney as a unit.

3. A unitary double pipe structure for use as the uppermost section of a chimney utilized for venting gases of combustion, said structure including an inner pipe adapted to telescopically enter the ue of said chimney and form a continuation of the same, an outer pipe laterally spaced from the inner pipe and having a shoulder to seat on the top of the chimney and also having a skirt below said shoulder to overlap the outer surface of the chimney with slip nt, and a permanent connection between said pipes constituting the sole support of the inner pipe with respect to the nue when said structure is in place on the chimney.

ERNEST 0. HOWLE. 

